Winter storage
11-04-2005, 05:49 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 1,305
Winter storage
Many vehicles sit for extended periods of time. Motorhomes, antique vehicles, show cars, hot rods, motorcycles LamboTegs and even lawn mowers are parked for the winter as owners pack up their memories of summer fun. Preparing a vehicle for storage is not difficult, but there are a few steps that should be taken to ensure the vehicle or components are not damaged.
Take time to wash your vehicle before storing it. This is a good time to remove tar, tree sap, and bugs that can damage the paint if left on for extended periods. It is also an ideal time to touch up any paint chips and give it a coat of wax. This helps prevent rust from starting on the outside of the body. Be sure to wash the underside of the vehicle to remove dirt from corners and ledges. Damp dirt trapped in these places can start metal rusting quickly. Finish by using a wire or screwdriver to check that all water drain holes along the bottom of the doors, rocker panels, and fenders are open.
Change the oil and filter and run the engine for a few minutes to circulate the new oil throughout the engine. Acids in used oil will attack engine bearing surfaces when left sitting in the engine.
Determining how much fuel to keep in the fuel tank depends upon where the vehicle is stored and how long it will sit. When a vehicle is stored outside, the fuel tank should be full. This prevents condensation from forming on the inside of the tank as temperatures vary. If the vehicle is to be stored for a year or more, the gasoline may start to form a varnish. The fuel system should be drained completely to prevent varnish deposits, but this is not always an easy task on most vehicles. Draining the tank is the hardest part because very few vehicles have a drain plug on the fuel tank.
Tires should be inflated properly. Placing the vehicle on blocks is not necessary for winter storage, but it can prevent the tires from developing temporary flat spots and springs from sagging due to the vehicle's weight.
Remove the battery and store it in a cool dry place. Make sure it is fully charged before storing it and then trickle charge it every 2 months to keep it charged. Batteries will self-discharge as they sit, but storing them in a cold, dry location slows the rate of self-discharge.
Cold, dry prairie winters keep parts from rusting, but in warmer, more humid parts of the country, rust can form inside engines, causing them to seize. Squirt an ounce of oil into each engine cylinder through the sparkplug hole and crank the engine over a couple times before replacing the plugs. This coats the inside of the cylinders to prevent rust from forming.
A good vehicle cover will protect painted surfaces from dirt, sunlight, and moisture. Use a cover that can "breath". Covers such as plastic can trap moisture against the body, staining the paint and starting rust. Make sure any cover used is securely fastened around the vehicle. A loose cover can flap in the wind and quickly wears paint off a body.
Finally, watch out for mice. Make sure all firewall grommets and floor plugs are in place. Close all doors and windows tightly, and seal the exhaust by placing a ball of steel wool in the tailpipe. Mufflers and tailpipes make an excellent winter home for a mouse.
Completely drain the coolant system and put in fresh antifreeze with at least -20 freezing point. Don't forget to put some antifreeze in your windshield washer fluid holder as well.
Change the oil & filter. This will give the internal engine maximum rust and corrosion protection.
Brake fluid - if more than two years old (or dark honey colored): flush it & refill with new fluid. This should be done every spring. Silicone brake fluid is recommended..
Transmission and Differential should be topped up, it will displace any moisture.
WD40 sprayed on all the hinges (hood, doors, trunk, etc.) will also help.
Wash and wax your vehicle just before storing it.
Clean the interior, dress all vinyl and rubber.
Store your vehicle in a dry place.
Put the top up and leave the windows down about 1/2" down to allow air to circulate in the interior.
Jacking the car up will remove the weight from the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires (more common on older bias ply). Spray the rubber bushings with a good quality spray to prevent rot.
Descant is a good absorber of moisture. Go to a hardware store and get 3 or 4 bags of descant. Put a couple of bags in the interior of the vehicle and 1 or 2 in the trunk. This will help minimize condensation & rust.
Place a rag in the exhaust and air intake to keep moisture and small animals out.
If possible, start your vehicle at least once a month and let the engine fully warm up. Probably for at least a good 15 minutes.
Leave it in Neutral, hand brake off. In humid environments there can be a problem of the clutch disc becoming stuck to the flywheel and pressure plate. A wood dowel cut to the right length could be wedged between the clutch pedal and drivers seat to keep the clutch depressed.
It possible place a vapor barrier between your vehicle and the floor of the building where your vehicle is stored. The vapor barrier will help keep the moisture away from the under carriage of your vehicle.
INSURANCE: Keep your comprehensive insurance paid up, but you may qualify for a discount when the vehicle is "stored" Just remember to reactivate PRIOR to the first spring drive.
If you have to store your vehicle outdoors, use caution about heavy tarps. Moisture trapped underneath them have lead to "bleached" spots in the paint. Also the wind whipping the tarp will tend to dull the paint as any dust between the tarp and paint will act as fine sand paper would.
Oil breaks down over time so when you get your vehicle out of storage run the engine for a short time and change the oil & filter again.
This is a long list. If it isn't possible to do all the above, then wash and wax your car, change all the fluids and park it in a dry spot for the winter with the battery disconnected but attached to a trickle charger. That covers most of the bases and any problems you have come spring should be minimal.
Take time to wash your vehicle before storing it. This is a good time to remove tar, tree sap, and bugs that can damage the paint if left on for extended periods. It is also an ideal time to touch up any paint chips and give it a coat of wax. This helps prevent rust from starting on the outside of the body. Be sure to wash the underside of the vehicle to remove dirt from corners and ledges. Damp dirt trapped in these places can start metal rusting quickly. Finish by using a wire or screwdriver to check that all water drain holes along the bottom of the doors, rocker panels, and fenders are open.
Change the oil and filter and run the engine for a few minutes to circulate the new oil throughout the engine. Acids in used oil will attack engine bearing surfaces when left sitting in the engine.
Determining how much fuel to keep in the fuel tank depends upon where the vehicle is stored and how long it will sit. When a vehicle is stored outside, the fuel tank should be full. This prevents condensation from forming on the inside of the tank as temperatures vary. If the vehicle is to be stored for a year or more, the gasoline may start to form a varnish. The fuel system should be drained completely to prevent varnish deposits, but this is not always an easy task on most vehicles. Draining the tank is the hardest part because very few vehicles have a drain plug on the fuel tank.
Tires should be inflated properly. Placing the vehicle on blocks is not necessary for winter storage, but it can prevent the tires from developing temporary flat spots and springs from sagging due to the vehicle's weight.
Remove the battery and store it in a cool dry place. Make sure it is fully charged before storing it and then trickle charge it every 2 months to keep it charged. Batteries will self-discharge as they sit, but storing them in a cold, dry location slows the rate of self-discharge.
Cold, dry prairie winters keep parts from rusting, but in warmer, more humid parts of the country, rust can form inside engines, causing them to seize. Squirt an ounce of oil into each engine cylinder through the sparkplug hole and crank the engine over a couple times before replacing the plugs. This coats the inside of the cylinders to prevent rust from forming.
A good vehicle cover will protect painted surfaces from dirt, sunlight, and moisture. Use a cover that can "breath". Covers such as plastic can trap moisture against the body, staining the paint and starting rust. Make sure any cover used is securely fastened around the vehicle. A loose cover can flap in the wind and quickly wears paint off a body.
Finally, watch out for mice. Make sure all firewall grommets and floor plugs are in place. Close all doors and windows tightly, and seal the exhaust by placing a ball of steel wool in the tailpipe. Mufflers and tailpipes make an excellent winter home for a mouse.
Completely drain the coolant system and put in fresh antifreeze with at least -20 freezing point. Don't forget to put some antifreeze in your windshield washer fluid holder as well.
Change the oil & filter. This will give the internal engine maximum rust and corrosion protection.
Brake fluid - if more than two years old (or dark honey colored): flush it & refill with new fluid. This should be done every spring. Silicone brake fluid is recommended..
Transmission and Differential should be topped up, it will displace any moisture.
WD40 sprayed on all the hinges (hood, doors, trunk, etc.) will also help.
Wash and wax your vehicle just before storing it.
Clean the interior, dress all vinyl and rubber.
Store your vehicle in a dry place.
Put the top up and leave the windows down about 1/2" down to allow air to circulate in the interior.
Jacking the car up will remove the weight from the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires (more common on older bias ply). Spray the rubber bushings with a good quality spray to prevent rot.
Descant is a good absorber of moisture. Go to a hardware store and get 3 or 4 bags of descant. Put a couple of bags in the interior of the vehicle and 1 or 2 in the trunk. This will help minimize condensation & rust.
Place a rag in the exhaust and air intake to keep moisture and small animals out.
If possible, start your vehicle at least once a month and let the engine fully warm up. Probably for at least a good 15 minutes.
Leave it in Neutral, hand brake off. In humid environments there can be a problem of the clutch disc becoming stuck to the flywheel and pressure plate. A wood dowel cut to the right length could be wedged between the clutch pedal and drivers seat to keep the clutch depressed.
It possible place a vapor barrier between your vehicle and the floor of the building where your vehicle is stored. The vapor barrier will help keep the moisture away from the under carriage of your vehicle.
INSURANCE: Keep your comprehensive insurance paid up, but you may qualify for a discount when the vehicle is "stored" Just remember to reactivate PRIOR to the first spring drive.
If you have to store your vehicle outdoors, use caution about heavy tarps. Moisture trapped underneath them have lead to "bleached" spots in the paint. Also the wind whipping the tarp will tend to dull the paint as any dust between the tarp and paint will act as fine sand paper would.
Oil breaks down over time so when you get your vehicle out of storage run the engine for a short time and change the oil & filter again.
This is a long list. If it isn't possible to do all the above, then wash and wax your car, change all the fluids and park it in a dry spot for the winter with the battery disconnected but attached to a trickle charger. That covers most of the bases and any problems you have come spring should be minimal.
11-04-2005, 05:54 PM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 1,305
https://www.torontointegras.ca/forum...hlight=storage
https://www.torontointegras.ca/forum...ghlight=winter
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Last edited by DRT acura; 11-04-2005 at 06:01 PM.
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